I have received a couple of hundred notes from old and new friends related to my first stories posted here.  Thanks so much for all the encouragement!  There were some particularly interesting comments that I’m posting here that add to the stories or correct my sometimes foggy recollections.

On The Clash:

From Wayne Forte: (Wayne also was the first agent to ever bring Sade to America)

Nice piece!

Just a note for you (since I was the band’s 1st agent – for 4 or more years – in the u.s. and orchestrated that “maiden” tour, among others, that particular one that promoters, agents and most rec company people, including many up where you were at the time, declared that, “forte’s really lost his mind now, headlining the clash in theatres, the 1st time in…even the ‘pistols’ did clubs 1st…”.but that’s another story), bernie rhodes was actually the original mgr of the clash, was fired by the band, caroline took over (she was the one I finally convinced to come over to the u.s. by guaranteeing I would make an “event” out of it, as opposed to “just another tour”), she handled them through the 1st tour here, I did the next with pete jenner managing and the 3rd one I did without a manger (another long involved and similar to your photo story)!!  Then bernie came back in and did the bond’s shows on his own without an agent then took them to premier for the next couple before they split for good.

Be well…

From Mel Phillips, CBS Int’l Exec at the time:

“Joe Senkiewcz was out of town so I booked Paley’s jet for the trip. Harvey wasn’t there but what a time it was Dan, as you remember.”

Comment – Mel corrected my original posted, noting he was at that first show along with Lisa Kramer from CBS Int’l.  Bunny and Joe weren’t there.  However, the big story here is that Mel actually knew how to book the CBS jet!  The man had some serious clout!

From Lisa Kramer, CBS Int’l Exec at the time :

“Oh God.  I just realized I was there too.  (Hi Mel Phillips).  My first time on the CBS Jet.  What a show, what a band, what a time.”

Comment – Now, I don’t feel so bad forgetting that Lisa and Mel were there, since Lisa had to think about it herself!  I would guess that most of us went to a couple of hundred shows a year, and many of us did this for 15-20-25 years.

From Bob Wilcox, a Columbia marketing exec for many years:

I remember seeing them on their 1st visit (?) to NY at the Palladium. 
Was in the first row of the balcony and with everybody “pogoing” the damn thing was bouncing up and down by a foot. At first, I was worried but I figured what the hell… this was the greatest R&R show I had ever seen! 
Joe Strummer was my hero.
Hope all is well with you. Keep the blog going. 

Bob

Comment – With so many artists on a major label it was often rare that you could go see an act that wasn’t on your roster.  It was a ‘statement’ when the competition came to your act’s show.

(Join the conversation by emailing Dan@musicbizzfizz.com. I will summarize the input in a future Music Bizz Fizz blog.)